Gerard beekman



(No Model.)

wnNEssEs:

@wma/94ML? G. BBEKMAN. MEGHANISM' FOR AGTUAIINGPIGKERS FOR OOTTDN HARVESTERS.

Patented July 18, 1893.

mvENTon ATTORNEY i 'UNrTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GERARD BEEKMAN, OF ANEXV' YORK, N. Y.

MECHANISM FOR ACTATINQ ICKERS FOR COTTON-HARVESTERS.

y SPECIFICATIN forming part of Letters PatentNo. 501,669, dated July 18, 18.93.

Application ned my a5, A1892. stanno. 434.360. maman.) l

To all whom it may-concern:

Be it known that I, GERARD BEEKMAN, a

-citizen of .the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in,.Mechanism for Actuating Pickers forv Cot-- ton-Harvesters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to cotton pickers wherein rotary flexible stems are employed to seize the cotton, and. my invention more. es-

pecially relates to the character of a picker described in my patent application, Serial No. 389,932, tiled April 22, 1891, wherein the ilexible stems are projected in groups from subordinate oscillatory supports designed for attachment to a common .rotary support. The

groups thus suspended are caused to enter and ret-ire from the branches of the plant while moving backward at substantially the same rate of speed as the motion of the harvester forward over the ground.

My invention is applicable. for actuating flexible or other cotton picking stems of any suitable charactenbut said invention is especially designed for pickers composed of masses of unworked cotton or other fiber as described in my separate patent application,

y,to which my invention appertains to understand and usethe same, l will proceed to describe its details of construction, explain its operation and subsequently point out in the appended claims its novel characteristics.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:- Figure 1, is a vertical sectional elevation takenl through one of the subordinate sup ports showing the interior mechanism; Fig.

i 2, a horizontal section of Fig. 1, taken on the line fc, Fig. 3, an enlarged detail view showing one of the bobbins in section; and Fig. 4,

a similar View showing a modification.

A, Fig. 1, represents't-he driving shaft connected toany suitable part of the harvesting machine and continuously rotated in one direction. z

B, represents the case or covering supported on the shaft A, which said case or covering may be stationary, or, as described in aforesaid patent applications, peimitted to oscillate to a limited extent about the axis of the shaft A..

(l, are the bobbins bearing at. each end the respective picking stems or flexible picker shafts D, which project outwardly through the flexible tubular arms E.

F, represents the driving gears on the .Shaft A. The bobbins C and the gears F are toothed and intermesh at all times to effect a positive transmission of rotation. In o' "t to prevent rattling or irregularity of tran n-ssion, the teeth a, b, on the gears F, aregshaped or of double spiral form, a's also arejthe lteleth c, (1,.

on the bobbin C, in double spirals.- The upper halves 1, of the wheels F, and C, are made.

separate from the lower halves 2, in order to facilitate cutting the teeth:` The vbolobins C, have reduced perpheries e, f, above and below the same on which bear the flanges of the idlers G. The idlers G, have bearings on an axial rod -H, in the frame B, and maintain the bobbins C in continuous engagement with the wheels F.

The flexible shafts D, are not positively connected to the bobbin C, but are permitted to turn loosely therein, and upon a portion of the shaft D beneath its bobbin there is a collar h, secured thereto, and upon a portion of said shaft D above the'bobbin there is another collar i, also secured thereto. The collar 71., illustrated is secured by Aa pin. .The-collar z', illustrated is screw threaded so as to be passed over the shaft D, which is composed of a strand of fiexible material'such as leather. Between .the collar z', and Vthe upper reduced end e, of

the bobbin C, there is interposed a spiral. .spring j, which serves to keep the collar h, bearing firmly against the lower reduced endv f, of thebobbin C, with sufficient friction to f prevent the shaft D; turning in the bobbin C, except when encountering unusual opposition at such times as hereinloefore referred to.

In Fig. 4, in lieugf extending they liexible shaft D, of leather 'or like material, entirely roe through the bobhin C, in a continuous piece, a metallic spindle 7c, is employed, turning loosely in the said bobbin. The spindle 7c has at its lower end, a shoulder h' interiorly screw threaded for the reception ot the leather or otherilexihle shaft D, and at the upper end shafts D,D in place Within the screw threads..

When any of the fibrous or other pickers on 'the extremities of any of the iiexible shafts D,D, become twisted upon the cleaninghrush, or other ol)jec't,' or otherwise encounter a serions opnesitirisuch as to obstruct the rotation of shafts D, the said shafts or their spindles k, as the case may be, will remain stationary Within the bobbins C, the latter continuing to krevolve lWithout injury to the apparatus. At other times the shafts D, D,

are rotated with the bobbin through the frictional agency ot' the springsj, and collar h.

The hereinbefore described arrangement is thus designedas a safety device. In case of a moderate obstruction to the rotation. of the extremities of the shaft D, the said shafts having torsional elasticity, will yield to a considerable extent and take up the lost ino-` tionby tvvistingupon themselves in ordinary emergencies. The" spring j is designed to he frictionail-y compressed so tight as toavoid slimpingnntilA such'a great strain is brought upon the rotative parts as to endanger breakage of the shaft D, or other injury.

ers extending axis, and a toothed driving gearengaging With Y `he gear teeth a., b, c, d, disposed at opposite angles serve to maintain the hohbins C, at their proper level opposite the driving gears F, of their own tendency.

Between the adjacent ends ot the gear teeth a, l), and c, d, spaces are left to allowthe accumulations of dust and cil tc pass out and prevent clogging.

Having thus fully described my invention, what claini, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, ism' l. ln a mechanism for actuating rotary pickers for cotton harvesters, the combination ot a rotary toothed bobhin, and means for support-ing the saine, a picker shaft frictionally attached to the bohbin hearing two pickin opposite directions of `its the bobhin; said hobhin and gear provided with oppositely inclined spiral teeth adapted to center the hobbin vertically, substantially as described.

2. ln a mechanism for actuating rotary pickers for cotton harvesters, the combination of a picker bobbin and a picker shaft extend` ving through the axis of a bohbin Erictionally engaging therewith, an idler having smooth flanges engaging with corresponding smooth peripheries or reduced ends ot the said bohbin to support it in its proper position, and a gear for rotating the bobbin; said bobhin .and gear being provided with oppositely inclined. spiral teeth adapted to center the hobhin vertically, suhstantiallyas described.

GERARD BEEKMAN.

Witnesses:

EUGENE Lucas, H. F. PARKER. 

